Proofs and Fundamentals: A First Course in Abstract Mathematics - Softcover

Bloch, Ethan D.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1441971289 ISBN 13: 9781441971289

Verlag: Springer, 2011

Inhaltsangabe

This text is designed as a "transition" textbook to introduce undergraduates to the writing of vigorous mathematical proofs, and to such fundamental mathematical ideas as sets, functions, relations, and cardinality. It serves as a bridge between computational courses, e.g. calculus, and more theoretical, proofs-oriented courses such as linear devoted to the proper writing of proofs and over 400 problem sets, which are mostly proofs rather than example problems. Because of the exposition and choice of topics this book should be of interest for classroom use as well as for the general reader who wants to gain a deeper understanding of the language of mathematics. The material of this text was chosen because it is needed in the advanced mathematics curriculum, yet it is often not taught in any other course at the level of calculus or below.

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Review

". . . Proofs and Fundamentals has many strengths. One notable, strength, is its excellent organization. The book begins with a three-part preface, which makes its aims very clear. There are large exercise sets throughout the book . . . Exercises are well integrated with the text and vary appropriately from easy to hard . . . Topics in Part III are quite varied, mostly independent from each other, and truly dependent on Parts I and II. At the end of the book there are useful hints to selected exercises.

Perhaps the book’s greatest strength is the author’s zeal and skill for helping students write mathematics better. Careful guidance is given throughout the book. Basic issues like not abusing equal signs are treated explicitly. Attention is given to even relatively small issues, like not placing a mathematical symbol directly after a punctuation mark. Throughout the book, theorems are often followed first by informative ‘scratch work’ and only then by proofs. Thus students can see many examples of what they should think, what they should write, and how these are usually not the same."

–MAA Online

"This is a well-written book, based on very sound pedagogical ideas. It would be an excellent choice as a textbook for a 'transition' course." ---Zentralblatt Math

From the Back Cover

This textbook is designed to introduce undergraduates to the writing of rigorous mathematical proofs, and to fundamental mathematical ideas such as sets, functions, relations, and cardinality. The book serves as a bridge between computational courses such as calculus and more theoretical courses such as linear algebra, abstract algebra, and real analysis.

This second edition has been significantly enhanced, while maintaining the balance of topics and careful writing of the previous edition. Part 1 presents logic and basic proof techniques; Part 2 thoroughly covers fundamental material such as sets, functions and relations; and Part 3 introduces a variety of extra topics such as groups, combinatorics and sequences, and suggests avenues for independent student explorations.

A gentle, friendly style is used, in which motivation and informal discussion play a key role, and yet high standards in rigor and in writing are never compromised.

Reviews of the first edition:

This is a well-written book, based on very sound pedagogical ideas. It would be an excellent choice as a textbook for a 'transition' course.
―Zentralblatt Math

'Proofs and Fundamentals' has many strengths. One notable strength is its excellent organization... There are large exercise sets throughout the book... the exercises are well integrated with the text and vary appropriately from easy to hard... Perhaps the book’s greatest strength is the author’s zeal and skill for helping students write mathematics better.
―MAA Online

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Springer
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1441971289
• ISBN 13: 9781441971289
• Einband: Paperback
• Sprache: Englisch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 386